New Exhibition of Antique Russian Icons at the Andrei Rublev Museum

The Central Andrei Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art has recently opened a new exhibition featuring an impressive selection of antique Russian icons and other significant examples of religious art from the private collection of a famous antique dealer and collector Alexander Dadiani. Besides, the exposition entitled “Collection of Alexander Dadiani. Icons, Artistic Silver” includes many rare and unique pieces of religious icon art that have never been displayed to the public before.

The Andrei Rublev Museum

Founded in 1947, the Central Andrei Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art, or simply the Andrei Rublev Museum, is one of the most important museums of antique Russian icons in Russia. It is located on the left bank of the river Yauza, in the Andronikov Monastery of the Savior in Moscow, which was built circa 1425. It was in this ancient monastery that the greatest Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev spent the last years of his life, hence the museum’s name. It is also worth noting that according to the legend, Andrei Rublev was buried in the monastery crypt, but the location of his grave is unfortunately unknown.

For today, the Andrei Rublev Museum features more than 10,000 exhibits, including antique Russian icons from the 11th – early 20th centuries, fresco fragments, ancient books and manuscripts, ornamental art, and other pieces of Old Russia art. However, the new exhibition of Alexander Dadiani’s collection of Russian icon art is truly unique.

Alexander Dadiani’s collection of antique Russian icons

The “Collection of Alexander Dadiani. Icons, Artistic Silver” exhibition features more than 80 exceptional examples of antique Russian icons and artistic silver. Among the highlights are a Cretan icon of Our Lady of Tenderness, painted in the second half of the 15th century, a rare antique icon depicting St. John the Apostle’s vision of a “woman clothed with the sun,” and several other outstanding pieces of Russian icon art of the 16th – 17th centuries. Plus, the exhibition includes a fantastic collection of silver oklads created in the 1870s – 1910s in the Russian and Neo-Russian styles.

The “Collection of Alexander Dadiani. Icons, Artistic Silver” exhibition at the Central Andrei Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art will run through May 6, so if you have a chance, visit it without hesitation. You are sure to love the amazing selection of antique Russian icons and other religious items from the Alexander Dadiani’s collection!